Human Faces

One of the things that constantly strikes me is how easy it is to talk about spreading the Gospel to "the ends of the Earth" and to "all people from all nations," but sometimes we forget that the people are people. During our time here, we've been constantly telling you back in the US to "pray for Madagascar." But I want to change a little, because I sometimes have to remind myself, we aren't praying for the country, we're praying for the people.

The people we're working with aren't just nameless, faceless generic people sitting around waiting to hear the Gospel, each one is a human life just like you or me. Maybe not as wealthy, or as educated, but each one has likes and dislikes, a father and mother, and funny quirks about their personalities. But at the same time, each of them is selfish. They will claim to be a friend, then demand payment for ridiculous things, or they'll make an appointment to spend time together, and want only to be fed or learn get things from me. Not that I can complain, because I'm selfish. But sometimes I catch myself thinking about just how selfish they are, when they blatantly tell me that I owe them money/food or that I deserve to pay hugely inflated prices, ten times what a local would pay.

But then I stop, and I remember that I'm human too. Sure, in the US, I struggle sometimes with rent, or auto repairs, but I have never known the pain of being too poor to eat for a 3rd day in a row. On top of that, any compassion that I have comes directly from Christ. It's important to humble ourselves and remember that we are here as fellow humans, trying to share Christ by overcoming differences in wealth, education, understanding of God, or living situations.

Instead of writing a long post, I would like to share several of the portraits I've taken along the way. Often when I pray for the people of Madagascar, I look at the photos I've taken, and it helps to pray for the people, instead the country. Please take a moment to pray for each of these people.

Some of them I've met many times, and some of them, taking their photo in passing was as much as I ever got to know them.

Thank you,
Kai Honeck


P.S. Don't stop praying for the Country of Madagascar. It's in dire need of prayer as well. Just remember where the priority is.